Wafer dividing method
A wafer dividing method for dividing a wafer along a first set of plural streets extending parallel to each other, and a second set of plural streets extending parallel to each other and extending perpendicularly to the first set of the streets, the wafer having a plurality of rectangular regions defined on the face thereof by these streets. The wafer dividing method includes a groove forming step of forming grooves along the streets on the face of the wafer, and a grinding step of grinding the back of the wafer after the groove forming step. The grooves formed by the groove forming step include grooves having a first depth D1, and grooves having a second depth D2 which is greater than the first depth D1 (D2>D1).
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This invention relates to a wafer dividing method for dividing a wafer along a first set of plural streets extending parallel to each other, and a second set of plural streets extending parallel to each other and extending perpendicularly to the first set of the streets, the wafer having a plurality of rectangular regions defined on the face thereof by the first set of the streets and the second set of the streets. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wafer dividing method arranged to divide the wafer in a mode called dicing-before-grinding, namely, a mode including a groove forming step of forming grooves along the streets on the face of the wafer, and a grinding step of grinding the back of the wafer after the groove forming step.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ARTIn the production of a semiconductor device, a plurality of rectangular regions are defined on the face of a wafer by streets arranged in a lattice pattern, namely, a first set of plural streets extending parallel to each other, and a second set of plural streets extending parallel to each other and extending perpendicularly to the first set of the streets, and a circuit element is disposed in each of the rectangular regions. The wafer is divided along the streets, whereby the wafer is separated into individual rectangular regions, namely, semiconductor devices.
If it is particularly necessary to render the thickness of the semiconductor device sufficiently small, a mode called dicing-before-grinding has been proposed as a mode for dividing the wafer along the streets, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-17442, and this mode has found practical use. In this mode, grooves are formed along the streets on the face of the wafer and, then, the back of the wafer is ground to render the thickness of the wafer substantially the same as, or smaller than, the depth of the grooves, whereby the wafer is divided along the streets.
According to the inventor's experience, however, the dividing method in the mode called dicing-before-grinding has been found to have a tendency toward chipping occurring, particularly, at the corner of the individually separated rectangular region, namely, semiconductor device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention, therefore, to improve the wafer dividing method in the mode called dicing-before-grinding so that chipping of the semiconductor device can be avoided.
The inventor diligently conducted studies on conventional wafer dividing methods, and has recognized the following facts: With the conventional wafer dividing methods, all grooves formed along the streets on the face of the wafer have substantially the same depth. Thus, divisions along the streets by grinding of the back of the wafer occur substantially simultaneously along all of the streets. On this occasion, the individually separated semiconductor devices are vibrated finely. Owing to such vibrations, chipping takes place particularly at the corner of the semiconductor device.
Based on this recognition, the inventor formed at least two depths of grooves along the streets on the face of the wafer, and designed the divisions of the wafer along the streets by grinding the back of the wafer not to occur substantially simultaneously along all the streets, but to occur with a time lag, in at least two stages. By so doing, the inventor has found that the aforementioned object can be attained.
That is, according to the present invention, as a wafer dividing method for attaining the above object, there is provided a wafer dividing method for dividing a wafer along a first set of plural streets extending parallel to each other, and a second set of plural streets extending parallel to each other and extending perpendicularly to the first set of the streets, the wafer having a plurality of rectangular regions defined on the face thereof by the first set of the streets and the second set of the streets, the wafer dividing method including a groove forming step of forming grooves along the streets on the face of the wafer, and a grinding step of grinding the back of the wafer after the groove forming step, and
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- wherein the grooves formed by the groove forming step include grooves having a first depth D1, and grooves having a second depth D2 which is greater than the first depth D1 (D2>D1).
Preferably, the grooves formed along the first set of the streets have the first depth D1, and the grooves formed along the second set of the streets have the second depth D2. It is also preferred that the grooves formed along the first set of the streets include grooves of the first depth D1 and grooves of the second depth D2 arranged alternately, and the grooves formed along the second set of the streets similarly include grooves of the first depth D1 and grooves of the second depth D2 arranged alternately.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the wafer dividing method of the present invention, as shown in
In the wafer dividing method of the present invention, it is important that the grooves 12a and 12b include grooves of at least two depths. With further reference to
After the grooves 12a and 12b as described above are formed, a protective tape 14 is affixed to the face 6 of the wafer 2, as shown in
Then, a grinding step of grinding the back 11 of the wafer 2 is performed. The grinding step can be advantageously performed by a grinding machine disclosed, for example, in
According to the wafer dividing method of the present invention, when the back 11 of the wafer 2 is ground, the divisions of the wafer 2 along the grooves 12a and 12b do not occur simultaneously as done in the case of the conventional wafer dividing method. Instead, these divisions occur such that the division of the wafer 2 along the grooves 12b occurs first, and then the division of the wafer 2 along the grooves 12a occurs with some time lag. In comparison with the conventional wafer dividing method, therefore, vibrations of each rectangular region 10 during grinding of the back 11 of the wafer 2 are effectively suppressed, and chipping particularly at the corner of each rectangular region 10 is effectively avoided or suppressed.
While the preferred embodiments of the wafer dividing method constructed according to the present invention have been described by reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present invention should not be limited to such embodiments, but various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
In the illustrated embodiments, for example, the two depths D1 and D2 are imparted to the grooves formed along the streets. If desired, however, three or more depths can be provided.
Claims
1. A wafer dividing method for dividing a wafer along a first set of plural streets extending parallel to each other, and a second set of plural streets extending parallel to each other and extending perpendicularly to the first set of the streets, the wafer having a plurality of rectangular regions defined on a face thereof by the first set of the streets and the second set of the streets, the wafer dividing method including a groove forming step of forming grooves along the streets on the face of the wafer, and a grinding step of grinding a back of the wafer after the groove forming step, and
- wherein the grooves formed by the groove forming step include grooves having a first depth D1, and grooves having a second depth D2 which is greater than the first depth D1 (D2>D1).
2. The wafer dividing method according to claim 1, wherein the grooves formed along the first set of the streets have the first depth D1, and the grooves formed along the second set of the streets have the second depth D2.
3. The wafer dividing method according to claim 1, wherein the grooves formed along the first set of the streets include grooves of the first depth D1 and grooves of the second depth D2 arranged alternately, and the grooves formed along the second set of the streets similarly include grooves of the first depth D1 and grooves of the second depth D2 arranged alternately.
International Classification: H01L 21/301 (20060101); H01L 21/302 (20060101);